


Never Really Had A Doubt

by barricadebastard



Series: The Jeffermads Next-Door Neighbors AU [5]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Next Door Neighbors, Pining, Thomas Jefferson Is A Punk Ass Bitch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 12:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10437429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barricadebastard/pseuds/barricadebastard
Summary: James can’t draw. And he’s fine with that, honestly, he’s completely okay with it. Except when Thomas sees his attempts at art, he starts laughing until he's crying. But it's okay, because at least James got an art lesson and spending time with his crush out of it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wrunic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrunic/gifts).



> so i only posted the last fic in this series two days ago, and now im posting the next one, which i wrote in one sitting. are you guys proud of me
> 
> gifted to tyrannia, who i am convinced is magical and 100% responsible for the fact that i finished this so quickly

James can’t draw. And he’s fine with that, honestly, he’s completely okay with it. You can’t have everyone in the world be talented at a single skill. There’s got to be  _ some  _ people who are bad at it, for the sake of making that talent special. So he’s fine with being a crappy drawer, and he’ll embrace the wobbly lines, uneven eyes and disproportionate limbs that are shown on the paper in front of him. He’ll carry on anyway, even when he knows that the result looks nothing like he imagined in his head. It’s fun, and lacking talent isn’t going to stop him.

James is fine with being a crappy drawer, but not when Thomas is howling with laughter at the sight of one of his sketches. He had originally come over to borrow some sellotape, but somehow, they had ended up sitting at the table with cups of tea.

“Thanks,” James muttered under his breath. Thomas is breathless now, with eyes shining with what looks like tears. He hasn’t stopped laughing for five minutes now, and at this point, James is wondering if he should call the ambulance, because that really can’t be healthy. It’s a nice laugh, James will give him that, but the endearing crinkles around his eyes are not going to be helpful if Thomas faints in James’ kitchen. 

“I’m sorry,” Thomas finally gasps. He wipes his tears away, still shaking with restrained laughter. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I just… oh god, I really did think it was Junior or Julia’s drawings.” 

Junior and Julia were both only eight, and the fact that Thomas was comparing a fully grown man's efforts to two children was more than a little offensive. Sure, James knew he was bad at drawing, but he wasn't  _ that  _ bad. 

Thomas must have seen his quizzical look, because he elaborated, “You stuck it on your fridge. People only do that for their kid's shitty paintings they made at school.”

“Well, that makes me feel even better,” James said lightly.

“I'm sorry,” Thomas said again. “It's not awful, really-”

“Bit late for that, don't you think?”

“... It's not great, but it's not the worst ever, I swear-”

“Please just stop,” James interrupted, still smiling. 

“I'm making it worse, aren't I?”

“A little,” James admitted. “So are you good at art?”

Thomas preened immediately, sitting up straighter and puffing his chest out almost imperceptibly. If it had been anyone else, James would have rolled his eyes, but apparently everything Thomas did was endearing. 

“I'm actually pretty good at that kind of stuff,” Thomas told him, a little smirk dancing at his lips. “Did a whole semester of figure drawing at college, just for the fun of it.” 

Of course Thomas was the type of person to pick courses at college ‘for the fun of it’. James had always known the man had money, from his fancy cars and the fact that he was living in this type of neighborhood, but ever since he had began talking to him, he kept getting blown away by just how loaded the other man was. James was by no means lacking, thanks to his grandmother’s generous inheritance, but Thomas was a whole new level. 

“You’ll have to show me some of your works some day,” James said casually, taking a sip of his tea (ginger and lemon, his favourite. Thomas had been disgusted). 

“I could teach you how,” Thomas offered, eyes lighting up as if James had already agreed. “It’s really not that hard, you’ve just got to make sure everything’s the right proportion.” 

“Sure,” James said skeptically. It was going to take more than a few lessons on proportions to make his drawings anything other than abysmal. 

“I’m serious,” Thomas said, eagerness dripping from every syllable coming from his mouth. “Here, have you got some paper?” 

James reluctantly pushed a half-ripped envelope towards him, and a stubby pencil that always hung around underneath the fruit bowl. Thomas plucked it from his fingers, and began drawing in small, quick sketches. James had meant to watch him, but found his gaze drawn to James’ face instead. Jesus, the man could easily be a model. How was it possible for someone to be that attractive? And he wasn’t even dressed up, just lounging around in a plain t-shirt and sweatpants. No one was allowed to look good in sweatpants, that was just unfair. James looked like a lazy and possibly alcoholic bum whenever he wore them, and yet here Thomas was, looking like Aphrodite’s biological son.

It was only when Thomas pushed the envelope towards him again that he realised what Thomas had drawn.

“Is that supposed to be an outline?” James asked, more than slightly skeptical. 

“Yep! See, that line shows where the middle of the eyes are going to be, then the cheekbones, then the mouth. The ears go-” he made a small mark next to the first line, “Right here, next to the eyes.” 

“I’m not sure this will make me any better at drawing.”

“Just try!” 

A few minutes later, Thomas was squinting at James’ attempt. It was slightly better than usual, but not exactly art gallery worthy. James was ready to tell Thomas to give up, but then the man was teaching him how to draw eyes, the correct size, how to add a reflection into eyeball. And if James was only continuing this farce because Thomas’ voice sounded nice when he was concentrating so intently? Well, that was none of anyone’s business. 

An hour had passed and James had finally managed to draw a passable human being that would not make onlookers burst into uncontrollable laughter. Sure, the eyes still weren’t perfectly even, and one eyebrow was lower than the other, and the shading of the contoured cheeks was still amateurish, but James had never been prouder. He had even drawn  _ cheekbones.  _ It had never occurred to him to be able to show how certain areas were further out into the light than others. Granted, he didn’t have the skill to do it earlier, but, now that Thomas had explained it a little further, everything made so much more sense. 

“This is amazing,” James said, still in awe. “I’ve never drawn something that looks even close to this good.” 

“It’s realistic, right?” Thomas said. His proud smile was just as good of a reward as the final drawing. “I need to go now, but seriously, you’re not bad. You should practice more. You know, practice makes perfect and all that bullshit.” 

“I will,” James promised, as Thomas downed the last cold dregs of his tea (ew. The man had no shame). 

And that should have been the end of that, except, as Thomas stood up, so did James, and he enveloped the man in a tight hug. Thomas stiffened for a second, and James was just about ready to back away and apologise fervently, but then two strong arms were wrapping themselves around him and Thomas was hugging him back even tighter. 

“Thank you,” James said.

James doesn't think he's talking about art.

**Author's Note:**

> this is based off my amazingly ridiculously talented friend teaching me how to draw. i am now Mediocre, which is a step up from God-Awful. 
> 
> i have no idea when the next fic is coming. i am sporadic as hell.


End file.
